Who Should I Start? Kareem Hunt or Alexander Mattison

Saturday, February 8, 4:21 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Kareem Hunt will be the preferred back for the Chiefs in the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles. Hunt has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to compete at a higher level than Isiah Pacheco. In the team's crucial AFC Championship win over the Buffalo Bills, Hunt rushed 17 times for 64 yards and a touchdown compared to five rushes and 12 yards for Pacheco. The 29-year-old will be leaned on again in the Super Bowl as Kansas City will do their best to manage the clock throughout the contest. Hunt will have to face one of the most formidable defenses in the league this weekend, but he will likely get enough opportunities to make something happen. Hunt's role as the primary back in the red zone makes him an interesting play in DFS and playoff leagues. The Chiefs will need to rely on the run game to prolong drives and Hunt should be the back they turn to.

Sunday, January 5, 10:03 PM

Las Vegas Raiders running back Alexander Mattison rushed for 20 yards on six carries during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. He also caught four of his five targets for an additional 11 yards through the air. It appeared that Mattison was headed for an increased workload on Sunday with Ameer Abdullah (foot) sidelined, but instead, the Raiders somewhat abandoned the rushing attack. Vegas' running backs combined for just eight carries, and quarterback Aidan O'Connell added four rushes of his own. Mattison may have salvaged his performance in PPR leagues, but for the most part, his showing on Sunday left a lot to be desired. The 26-year-old will hit free agency in a few months, leaving the Raiders with some combination of Sincere McCormick, Zamir White, Dylan Laube, and Chris Collier. Las Vegas has numerous holes on both sides of the ball, but don't be surprised if they look to improve their backfield with draft picks, free agency spending, or both.